Hearts are looking to new beginnings after the sacking of Neil Critchley.
Jamestown Analytics, owned by Brighton owner Tony Bloom, will likely prove key as the club hunt another head coach with the former QPR and Blackpool man gone after six months. A 1-0 loss against Dundee proved the final straw after failure to make the top six and disappointment in big matches this campaign.
Currently, Hearts are eighth and are five points off the relegation play off spot, this being the second time they’ve sacked a head coach this term after Steven Naismith paid the price for a poor start to the campaign. Questions are now being aimed at more than just the now former head coach and a look to the future is also being cast by fans and pundits alike. Here are what eight Scottish football pundits think about the situation.
5. Steven Thompson (Sportscene)
"Do you think people trusted the process of the analytics? Clearly it's not worked. Do they follow that same process to appoint this next manager?" | SNS Group
6. Alan Hutton (Premier Sports)
"What do the fans want? Do they want exciting football, do they want to try and win games and compete? Who is somebody they would look that and say right, that's our guy?" | Getty Images
7. Michael Stewart (Sportscene)
“I don't think it's rocket science. Stop trying to reinvent the wheel. I think far too often at Hearts it feels like they're trying to be smart and trying to do things different instead of doing football things properly. Hearts are arguably the third biggest club in the country, certainly in and there amongst Hibs and Aberdeen. They should be there challenging every season. Great credit to St Mirren, they are maximising what they have got. Hearts aren't. Bottom six is not good at all. They should be in and around that European spot every season without fail. They should be challenging in the latter stages of the cup. Playing in a way, and Peter Grant spoke about this off camera, Tynecastle should be an intimidating place for opponents to go. To do that, you need to have the right type of players. Unfortunately, at the moment at Hearts, there is too few like that.” | SNS Group
8. Alan Rough (PLZ)
"I think there has to be a time when somebody says let's look at the managers in Scotland. Hearts at the beginning of the season identified three players from the Premiership. 'Let's concentrate on Scottish football, let's get players that are here.' The man from St Mirren (when asked who he'd like to see get it)." | SNS Group